PDA

View Full Version : Display LED options



SantaMonica
12-17-2011, 06:09 AM
Need to replace my 2 X 150 mh + 100 actinic, and looking for recommendations. Would like:

300 to 500 watts of power used.
48" wide
Ability to turn the light inwards is nice.
Ability to turn the light towards the back, so does not blind you.
Ability to move the lights up or back, to get into tank.
Two modes: Regular, and nightime

Looks like the www.maxspect.com (http://www.maxspect.com) ones will work, but I'm sure there are others.

SantaMonica
12-18-2011, 11:44 AM
Forgot... also would be nice if there were no fans.

Doompie
12-20-2011, 01:52 AM
The best LED unit around for display tanks is pacific sun..
Seen a couple running on tanks for about a year, and am very impressed..

The Phobos/Deimos combines T5 and LED technology, with integrated controller.
but very pricey..

Good (cheap) alternative would be Key Led's, or Maxspect.. Also eShine is producing impressive LED display lights for reasonable money..

You could also look at EcoTech marine raedon (but also expensive)

The hang-on system from the maxspect website...not seen that on sale yet..
Lot of people here work with window-screen motors and cables so they can lift or lower the lights automatically..

subielover
12-20-2011, 08:15 AM
Ecotech radion is where I would start. Also look at the apollo units, they are dimmable but not as pretty as the ecotech.

SantaMonica
12-20-2011, 06:29 PM
The Maxspects seem to be the only ones that don't have fans. I rather not have fans.

The eShine 400 watts one looks like it might cover my whole tank; would need a motor to raise it though.

Looks like most pendants are 150w; I guess these are more pare than my 150 mh?

Doompie
12-22-2011, 05:39 AM
According my latsest info, Maxspect currently produces the G2 but it's also with Fans...

I've checked the US versions for you here: on this website (http://www.fish-street.com/maxspect_programmable_led_aquarium_lighting110v-120v?category_id=118)

No practical experience from anybody I know though...so would not recommand it, I would still suggest Ocean pacific if you got money to spent.. otherwise KEY if you want value for money..i really do like the SPS Power bars which they now include in the tank lighting systems..

LED's do shoot alot more PAR's then HQI (MH) does..

160W is compareable with 250 watt MH..
170W is compareable with 2x 150watt MH..

Here is a direct compare:
http://www.fish-street.com/images/super/max_led160VS110.jpg

SantaMonica
12-22-2011, 05:32 PM
Well the Maxspect "S" two channel is only $679 for two modules. I have two openings at the top of the tank (center brace in the middle) so maybe they could be angled inwards towards the frag tray.

Doompie
12-23-2011, 02:30 AM
Am wondering if the small color range from the "s" series is going to work..

The P series on the otherhand also has two indigo LED's (410-420 nM) and two warm whites..
http://reefbuilders.com/2011/11/11/maxs ... -p-series/ (http://reefbuilders.com/2011/11/11/maxspect-mazarra-p-series/)

The P series double module goes for $1075

The system looks fantastic!
Nice mounting system, controlability is more than fine but still needs the fans...

My current conclusion regarding LED's for display tanks:

LED Only:
Only works best if combined with T5.. Or the units must have a bigger color range ability (like the pacisifc sun Hyperion) The P-series and KEY LED units are actually the only alternatives to pacific sun which i found are capable of providing a bigger color range. But still you need to adjust it yourself to match the needs...and that's not an easy job..

Replacing MH with LED's -> GO for it! limited colorrange, same effect, less power consumption and much more intense light..

I came to this conclusion since all LED units which are marked as "Rolls royce" for aquarium lighting.. are combinations of T5 with LED..no LED only unit has got that status yet except for the pasific sun Hyperion..

SantaMonica
12-23-2011, 05:46 AM
A larger spectrum seems odd, since only blue gets very far on a reef.

Also, I want a cheap unit; I'm only getting one because my Current unit is dying. The small 9 X 9 size of the Mazzera units would fit well above the euro openings I have, and could be pivoted inward (towards the frag tray), and also pivoted backwards so it does not shine in my eyes. My tank is 30 tall, and narrow, so the 70 degree optics look about right. This is of course if they fixed the problems with the loose pivots.

The main problem with this or any other one is movement, for access to my tank's euro-openings. I read the user comments on the Mazzeras and the units do not slide easily along the rail. That's too bad because that would have been a perfect way to get them out of the way. Maybe they could be greased (if metal) or soaped (if plastic).

holdenj_04
12-30-2011, 12:49 AM
What about these??
http://www.acanlighting.com/index.php?o ... &Itemid=80 (http://www.acanlighting.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=80)

SantaMonica
12-30-2011, 02:47 PM
Those are nice, but since I have only two 9 X 12 openings in the tank top, I might be better with pendants.

holdenj_04
01-03-2012, 10:30 PM
Why not just build a couple arrays from rapidled.com and use your halide lights housing that already fits your tank. And I'm sure if you get real creative you could build some sort of brakets out of acrylic that lets you move the whole set up and each light exactly how you want. I would think somewhere along the lines of a articulating reading lamp style setup or something simpler like a flat panel tv wall mount for the whole fixture. That way it could be moved back out of your eyes when accessing the tank and maybe a few pieces of loc-line attched to each of the led heat sinks that way you could point them any direction you want.

SantaMonica
01-04-2012, 10:02 AM
Because I don't have any time to build anything.

Ace25
01-09-2012, 06:38 PM
With your requirements and DIY not an option, if I were in your shoes, I would definitely pick the Maxspect Mazarra if you have the $. I think it is better than the Radion because it is much easier to swap/upgrade LEDs if you needed to and the mounting enables you to pivot them like you want.

http://reefbuilders.com/2011/05/27/maxspect-mazarra-led/

Doompie
01-10-2012, 02:15 AM
Maybe found you a good alternative:
Aqua Illumination Sol

http://aquaillumination.com/sol/

SantaMonica
01-10-2012, 09:15 AM
Yes I've see the Sol's.... it's just the mounting that I don't think they have. The Mazarra's have a pivot mount which is perfect, although they are still fine tuning it.

whites
01-19-2012, 04:37 PM
Ive just upgraded to radions love them as I also use mp40wes that talk to each other bit expensive tho but you also get the tech that comes with it get someamazing colours etc.. I used to run china ones I was first in oz to really get into led and when these at the price they were it was a great option to give it ago..

For radions try this guy dealsrus123@gmail.com

for china ones try happen@bsled.com

the 3w led have a far better penetration and have a better shimmer to.. my orginal 1w china fixture was good but fans loud the radion also has fans but are almost quiet the mp40 is louder.

let me know if you have any questions on these units or the contacts I gave you oh and be sure to let them know i sent you.. let me know how you got on
Cheers Shane Grant

joelespinoza
02-09-2012, 04:55 PM
I realize you don't have the time to make a DIY LED setup, however much like myself, you seem to do most things yourself to get it done "right". LEDs last about 11 years. You are not going to want to have to "make do" with something for that amount of time. You are going to end up wanting it done the way you want it done. Its possible you could find a product you like in a decent price range. I spent MANY hours researching LED options for my 55 gallon tank a couple months ago and I came to the conclusion that a nice LED system for a reef tank at a reasonable cost simply does not exist. That being said the most helpful person I met was Milad at LEDGroupBuy.com (It was also the best LED pricing).

Here is the abstract of what I learned from days of research, if you do decide to make time for the LEDs, hopefully it will save you some time:

Much of the following LED info is from emails back and forth with Milad:

1 current generation CREE 3 watt LED (driven at the efficency "sweet spot" of 70% of compacity) per 15 square inches of tank surface area, for tanks up to 24" of tank depth, is capable of growing anything. It would be very high output.

2:1 ratio of Royal Blue XT-E to Neutral XP-G will give you about a 14k look.

2:1 ratio of Royal Blue XT-E to Cool White XP-G will give you about a 20k look

The Neutral Whites are recomended just because they have a nicer spectrum to excite the fluorescent colors of the corals. This is why they make the 3UP LED combo with the 2:1 ratio of Royal Blue XT-E to Neutral XP-G. The 3 UP LEDs also allow you freedom to ignore the ~2" LED spacing rule to avoid the "disco" effect. Either way you should wire them to dim independantly to get a nice control over the colors.

You did not list what size tank you have, but assuming the photosynthetic creatures are not deeper than about 24", 300-500 watts is roughly 1500-2500 square inches of surface area. My 48" long 55 gallon is ~615 square inches and will require 41 3 watt CREE LEDs, which is only 123 watts. I am not sure what you are planning on growing or what size tank you have, but if it is only 48" long a 300-500 watt fixture might be going a bit overboard, which will only make silent cooling more difficult.

As far as heatsinks and fans go, if you want to go fanless you will need a bigger heatsink, and preferably some room air circulation although rising hot air might be sufficient air movement if you get a large enough heatsink, Heatsinkusa.com sells a 10.08" wide heatsink that you can order to length, thats probably your best bet on totally passive cooling:

http://www.heatsinkusa.com/10-080-wide-extruded-aluminum-heatsink/

Anyway feel free to ignore all this info, but after many days of research it is what I plan to go by when I do LEDs for my tank in the near future.

kerry
02-10-2012, 06:51 AM
Heat sink usa seems to cut these the wrong way if you want to make a large span.

Ace25
02-10-2012, 07:14 AM
How do you figure that Kerry? I have ordered many heatsinks from heatsinkUSA and never had any issue, they can only cut heatsinks one way, against the direction of the fins.

kerry
02-10-2012, 08:49 AM
I should have explained better. I would like to have them only be about 3-4 fins wide and then longer along the cooling fins, like 20+". The ones they show on the page would be the opposite.

Ace25
02-10-2012, 09:00 AM
I am still confused. LOL. You order them by the Inch, so you can get a 1.813" heatsink cut to 20" long for $13.60, that would give you 6 fins and be perfect for mounting strips of LEDs on.

http://www.heatsinkusa.com/1-813-wide-extruded-aluminum-heatsink/

Marksfish
02-10-2012, 09:26 AM
I recently got the Key 3 LEDs (http://www.fish-street.com/key_aquarium_led_lighting_us_version?category_id=1 18) for my system. Very impressed with them and their price (you can get a 5% discount too if you put in fishstreet as the coupon code). Best bit is the fans are temperature controlled and i've not heard mine come on once yet. The rest of the requirements, they probably fail on. Shipping may be expensive too as they now have a warehouse in the UK which makes it better for us.

Mark

Ace25
02-10-2012, 09:29 AM
Good call! I remember years ago when I was researching LED fixtures I stumbled across that one and I remember saying it was by far the best quality to value that I have seen on any LED fixture.

kerry
02-10-2012, 09:45 AM
I am still confused. LOL. You order them by the Inch, so you can get a 1.813" heatsink cut to 20" long for $13.60, that would give you 6 fins and be perfect for mounting strips of LEDs on.

http://www.heatsinkusa.com/1-813-wide-extruded-aluminum-heatsink/
I see my confusion, I was looking at this but needed it 2" wide: http://www.heatsinkusa.com/10-080-wide-extruded-aluminum-heatsink/ . On the left side of the site I seen 10.08 was the longest they offered so I clicked it first. Its not the longest its the widest.